Review: 'Twisters' is sure to sweep you off your feet

Nearly 30 years after the release of the 1996 film “Twister,” the highly anticipated sequel “Twisters” stormed into theaters July 19 with a promise of heart-pounding action and a fresh take on a beloved classic. As excitement built for “Twisters,” one question was on everyone’s mind: Can “Twisters” recapture the suspenseful essence of the original film?

The movie kicks off with Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a doctoral student, and her team of scrappy research assistants in the barren fields of Oklahoma aiming to secure funding for their project on a tornado-dissipating solution called sodium polyacrylate. When the tornado they’re tracking suddenly intensifies into a catastrophic EF5, the worst tornado on the Enhanced Fujita scale, Kate helplessly watches as three of her close friends are fatally swept away.

Five years later, Kate has sworn off tornado chasing and now works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos), the only other survivor of that EF5, presents her with a new tornado scanning system that has the potential to save lives. After witnessing the devastation tornado season has caused across towns in her home state, Kate reluctantly agrees to a week of storm chasing in Oklahoma.

Out in the field, Kate meets charismatic and self-proclaimed “Tornado Wrangler” Tyler (Glen Powell), and the two share playful banter and noticeable chemistry. Tyler’s slogan, “If you feel it, chase it,” becomes a recurring theme throughout the film. Early on, Kate struggles with overcoming her PTSD, but despite this she faces her fears and takes on the tornados. This slogan highlights Kate’s transformation as she learns to embrace her courage.

Edgar-Jones brings a special depth to her character. At the beginning of the film, a younger Kate is portrayed with a playful and joyous personality, which mellows out after the tragedy that took her friends. This transformation is evident, but the audience witnesses Kate’s passion for tornado chasing being revitalized during the movie’s thrilling and fast-paced action sequences.

While “Twisters” primarily follows Kate, the ensemble cast adds more depth and complexity to the movie, enhancing the narrative. Javi, who is grappling with internal struggles as he tries to make amends for what happened five years ago, stands in stark contrast to Tyler, whose fearless and wild cowboy persona creates an intriguing dynamic between the two.

Tyler’s unapologetically honest character remains a constant presence throughout the movie, but he’s more than just the rough-and-tough persona depicted in the movie’s trailers. His backstory, revealed during private, tense scenes with Kate, showcases the true, kindhearted nature of the dedicated tornado chaser. 

Powell’s compelling performance occasionally overshadows the other characters he shares the screen with. Edgar-Jones, for instance, struggles to convey a tough farmhand as well as Powell does. This disparity might be attributed to Powell’s background in Austin, Texas, while Edgar-Jones hails from London. When the two share the screen, Kate occasionally seems meek in comparison. 

A similar dynamic is also evident in scenes with Javi and Tyler. Although writers hint at a pseudo-love triangle involving Kate, it’s clear that support leans heavily in Tyler’s favor.

The cinematography in “Twisters” wholeheartedly embraces the southern spirit, beautifully capturing the Oklahoma pastures, highlighting rodeo culture and detailing farm life. Stunning scenes of sprawling wheat fields swaying under the hot Oklahoma sun and bustling rodeo crowds filled with vibrant colors create lively atmospheres. The audience feels truly immersed in the rich tapestry of Southern life.

The soundtrack of high-paced tornado-chasing scenes drives home the film’s southern pride, featuring new songs by Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson: “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” and “Out of Oklahoma,” respectively.

The filmmakers’ attention to detail also deserves significant praise. Every time the team was in a tornado-chasing scene, the stunning visual effects brought the tornados to life, creating a tense and thrilling atmosphere. The combination of realistic CGI and sound effects created an experience that made the tornado encounters feel authentic. Just ask the people who saw “Twisters” in 4DX, where the seats moved and vibrated with the storm’s intensity, and wind and lightning effects jumped off the screen. 

“Twisters” is described as a standalone sequel to the original “Twister.” However, while “Twisters” claims to not have any reliability to the original, it includes clever nods to “Twister” that fans of the original will catch.

One such nod occurs when Kate measures the wind direction by scattering dandelion seeds into the air, mirroring a scene from the first movie where Bill Paxton, one of the original film’s main characters known for creating a high-tech tornado sensing unit, uses dirt for the same purpose. Additionally, the presence of Dorothy, the groundbreaking tornado-sensing unit from the original film that helped the research group provide early storm warnings, makes a brief return in the sequel. 

While these are all slight homages to the original film, there is a notable difference in the demonstration of the advancements in meteorological technology over the past 30 years. In the original, the researchers were focused on developing better sensor technology. This sequel takes a new direction, with Kate creating a polyacrylate that, in theory, can actively dissipate a tornado. This distinction underscores how humanity’s ability to predict and potentially control these natural disasters has evolved in ways once unimaginable.

In an era dominated by CGI, motion effects and cutting-edge technology, it’s not uncommon for movies to underperform at the box office due to a heavy reliance on visuals at the expense of a compelling plot. However, “Twisters” defies this trend, offering a captivating story with well-developed characters and visuals, recapturing the suspense and storytelling that made the original film a classic.